policy brief

Connect, Rebuild, Prepare: Community-Informed Transportation Planning After the 2025 L.A. Fires

Abstract

The January 2025 Eaton and Palisades fires destroyed homes and roads across L.A. County. The experience revealed how urgently transportation systems must restore mobility and access after a fire or other major disaster—even though rapid transportation rebuilding can lock in unsafe road designs and miss chances to advance long-term resilience and community priorities.